Jan Heinsius, formerly of Norman, OK, passed peacefully April 16, 2026 in Huntsville, Alabama, at the age of 86.
Jan was born February 9, 1940, in Beek, Limburg, The Netherlands, to Meeuwis and Antonia Heinsius. It was the midst of WWII, and Jan’s home was occupied during the war first by a German officer, then, as the tides of the war changed, by a British and finally an American officer. He always remembered how friendly the American officer was, giving him candy and his first orange. Jan’s oldest sister, Jackie, was a war bride and he followed her to America after turning eighteen. He joined the US Air Force in 1960, where his foreign language skills were quite valuable. He served four years in the US Air Force, followed by two years in the reserves. Jan had a lengthy career in the airline industry, working for Braniff Airlines prior to joining Southwest Airlines. In his later years, Jan was a much sought-after home improvement contractor.
Jan met his wife, Glenda, in 1976 and they had 42 happy years together before her death in 2019. They enjoyed socializing with their many friends in Norman and beyond, travelling to Europe to visit friends and relatives, and spending time with their children and grandchildren.
Jan is survived by twin sons, Mike (Sonia) and Eric (Lisa) Nelson, two stepsons, Scott (Alice) and Randy (Peggy) Tiemann, nine grandchildren: Kelsey, Kyle, Cole, Cody, Christopher, Erica, Anthony, Joshua and Brittany, and twelve great-grandchildren. We have many fun memories of Jan and Glenda and are glad they are together again.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date to honor Jan’s vibrant spirit and love of life.
